Mike Gundy likes early signing date, but it’s keeping him busy
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has been a fan of the new early signing date for high school players headed to Division I football programs.
Yet as he spoke to media last Friday afternoon, you could sense in his voice that he might not be as big a supporter of the Dec. 20 signing day as he once was.
Gundy still wants an early signing period. He’s even suggested one as early as the summer before athletes begin their senior year of high school.
But with bowl practice, awards ceremonies and the most tense two weeks of recruiting all piling up at once, December is suddenly a lot busier.
“I would still favor the early signing period,” Gundy said. “But it’s definitely much more of a challenge for the coaches in trying to decipher what we’re gonna do with our time, with game preparation, practice and spending time with the players we plan on signing on the 20th.”
OSU’s bowl opponent, Virginia Tech — which will face the Cowboys at 4:15 p.m. Dec. 28 in the Camping World Bowl in Orlando — is working the same puzzle, like all the other bowl teams.
“As if we don’t have enough going on,” Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente
said. “Throwing signing day right in the middle of it just adds to the party.
“It’s just another day of trying to figure out what we’re gonna do and how we’re gonna find a way to practice.”
With the team getting a few days off for final exams this week, Gundy was posting photos on social media Monday of his helicopter ride to Bixby, where the Cowboys have offensive line commit Bryce Bray. On Tuesday, Gundy was getting Twitter messages from Cibolo, Texas, defensive back JaeVeon Cardwell, thanking Gundy for stopping by to see him.
Gundy and his staff brought in almost half of their 21 commitments last weekend for official visits, including the three early enrollees among the high school players in the class — Tuttle offensive lineman Hunter Anthony, Rockwall, Texas, linebacker Blake Barron and safety Jarrick Bernard of Evangel Christian in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Most of the others in the class will be in this weekend as the OSU coaches try to solidify everyone they’ll have signing on Dec. 20.
“Normally, you’d have all those guys in in January,” he said. “Now you have to have them all in in December, while you’re in bowl practice. That’s the biggest impact.
“It’s a good rule. Might as well get it over with. It’ll let you know where you really stand with certain guys.”
For any committed player who doesn’t sign next week, Gundy and his staff will have to re-evaluate their approach with that player to determine whether they want to continue recruiting him, or move on.
“There will be decisions made then,” Gundy said. “You certainly have to start recruiting somebody else at that position, because this guy has proven to you he might not sign.”